Patent GB-792415-A (GB)
Title: An apparatus for reducing straw or similar material
IPC: A01F12/40
Filed: 1954-12-15
Abstract: 792,415. Cutting straw etc.; threshing machines. GRONBERG, A. B. Dec. 15, 1954, No. 192/57. Divided out of 792,414. Addition to 772,242 and modified by 792,414. Classes 5(1) and 6(3). [Also in Group II] In an apparatus for reducing straw or similar material which is adapted to be placed in connection with the straw or like outlet of a threshing machine 1, for instance a combine, and which comprises arms 4 or the like which protrude from a revolving shaft 3, and which during the revolution of the shaft are intended to pass between counter arms 5 disposed as a grating, the rotor arms together with the rotor shaft and the counter arms are placed in a box 6, a short duct or the like open at both ends, one of the open ends forming the inlet for the straw and the other open end forming the outlet for the cut straw, and the rotor arms are arranged to treat the straw while the straw rests upon one of the walls of the box &c. which wall has an extension which is, in one of its directions, parallel with the rotor shaft, and, in a crosswise direction, curve-shaped with its concave side nearer the rotor shaft. As shown, the rotor shaft 3 is carried by bearings at the short ends of a box 6 or the like open at the top and at the bottom, the top being provided with a funnelshaped filler 11, the cross-section of which increases from the top to the straw outlet of the threshing machine and the bottom of the box 6 being provided with a spreading device 12 for the cut straw, so that the latter is spread in a direction transverse to that of the combine. The wall 31 of the box 6 which is close to the foremost part of the threshing machine and towards which the straw is conveyed by means of the rotor arms 4, is concentric with the rotor shaft 3 and is placed at a short distance from the ends of the rotor arms 4, so that straw resting against this wall will be partly cut to pieces and be crushed, whereafter the final dissection will take place through the rotor arms co-operating with the counter arms 5. As shown in Fig. 1, the counter arms 5 underneath the wall 31 protrude into the box through an opening 33 and one of the walls 34 slants downwards and backwards from the foremost edge of the straw outlet of the threshing machine, and at its lower edge is firmly attached to or made in one with the upper edge of the wall 31 so that a ridge 35 is formed against which the straw whilst moving out along the wall 34 will be operated upon by the rotor arms 4, the wall 31 may be so adjusted as to allow the distance between it and the shaft to increase or to decrease in the running direction of the shaft. The surface of the wall 31, serving to counterpose the straw, may be provided with slits, stretching in planes at right angles against the rotor shaft 3, and which are intended, while the rotor shaft is running, to be passed by the end parts of the rotor arms 4 or the bed itself may be equipped with slits, stretching mainly parallel with the rotor shaft and in both these embodiments the edged parts of the slits may protrude above the bed surface. The bed can be made out of rods or the like, which will either stretch in planes which are either at right angles to the rotor shaft, or parallel with the rotor shaft. These rods may have a U-shaped cross-section and they may be so arranged that the shanks stretch inwards in a direction towards the rotor shaft whereby the edges of the shanks may be utilized for the cutting of the straw. By having the rods so arranged as to let the shanks stretch outwards from the rotor shaft the straw can be more extensively crushed. When the bed is made of rods the counterpose surface for the straw may be varied in consideration of the position of the various parts of the surface in their relation to the rotor shaft, so that the rods may be adjustable in their relation to one another. The cutting apparatus is carried by the threshing machine by means of an implement 48 which is combined with the threshing machine so that it will be swingable around a mainly horizontal shaft which is at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the threshing machine. As shown more particularly in Fig. 5 the implement constitutes two mutually parallel rods 50 each of which at one end will be swing- ably combined with an axle journal 49 and which may be quite independent of one another, or otherwise may be jointly combined by means of suitable stay means for preventing the rods swinging in their relation to one another. For the cutting apparatus 2 to be supported and pushed along the rods 50, it is provided at its opposite sides with rings 51 which allow the rods to pass through shiftably and which are welded to the shanks of an angle iron 52, while the shanks are attached to the box 6 and serve to strengthen it and support the end bearing 53 for the rotor shaft 3. A rope pulley 55, is fixed to one end of the rotor shaft 3 and over which runs a belt 56, which runs over a belt pulley 57 on one of the axle journals 49. The belt pulley 57 has another groove for a further belt 58, running over a pulley 59, which is attached to a driving axle 60 of the threshing machine, so that the rotor is forced to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow 32 in Fig. 1. The implement 48 may be adjusted to different swinging positions by links 61 connecting the rear parts of the implement with those of the threshing machine in connection with a hoisting device 65.